The invention is designed as an alternate method to weaving, as a means for maintaining a plurality of cords in parallel array until used, for example, as backing for carpets, or as reinforcements for rubber products. The invention is particularly well suited for use in forming sheets of rubberized metal cords for reinforcing pneumatic tires and, therefore, will be described in relation to calendering such cords with rubber material used in the production of tires. At present, special machinery is employed for perfoming this particular operation. It would be more economical and desirable, from a production standpoint, if conventional calenders could be used for embedding metal tire cords in the rubber material. This invention is directed to accomplishing this.
Briefly stated, the invention is in a method, other than weaving, for maintaining a number of textile or metal cords in parallel array. The method comprises placing a plurality of cords in parallel array, contacting the parallel cords with backing material, and interposing an adhesive between the cords and backing material to hold the cords parallel on the backing material. The backing material and attached cords can be reeled onto a shell for more convenient handling in transporting the cords to other equipment for further processing.